Just Watched The Baldur's Gate Live D&D Session From Magic Con And These Are The Lessons We've Learned:

AFTG feels wholesome to me because of this

Listen this series isn't perfect but one thing that stood out to me form early on that I just was SO HAPPY ABOUT is that (some of) the characters actually, genuinely, unquestioningly respect each other's boundaries. Like from day one, Wymak makes sure that Neil knows he has space to change in privacy, without making a big deal about it. Betsy doesn't force any of her patients to talk about anything. The foxes don't interrogate Neil’s weirdo habits or his desire for privacy, even when they’re suspicious. When Andrew says he doesn't want to be touched, people actually don't touch him (although that may be in part from their desire to not be stabbed). It genuinely made me kind of emotional when the Foxes went to the away game and made sure that Neil would have a private place to change, without him even having to ask. Not only do they respect his boundaries, but they remember them. Maybe I'm just used to characters in fiction getting disrespected, or having it portrayed as “healthy” for other characters to push their boundaries and force them into things they’re not ready for and its framed as a good thing. The way comradery is written in this series is incredible. I may have genuinely never seen a better example of mutual understanding in action.

(we're just going to ignore the drugging, threats, room-searching, unwarranted sexual comments by Nicky, and such. These people are messed up but my point still stands)

“wyll deserves a prince(ss) to dance with him” “wyll deserves a villain so they can have an enemies to lovers story”

WRONG. wyll deserves another hero that is trying to out-knight in shining armor him. he deserves someone that will bow to him and kiss his knuckles. he deserves someone that sweeps him off his feet, brings him flowers, whispers sweet nothings to his ear. I need this man to SIT DOWN and let himself be the one being pampered for once

The thing that Baldur's Gate got right is that each companion is both extremely cool, tempered with an appropriate dose of cringe.

Gale is a powerful wizard. He uses the phrase 'pish posh' unironically.

Lae'zel is a badass. She asks you to fight her and then gets emotional because you're fighting even though that was her idea.

Karlach. Badass. But we've all seen her idle dance moves.

Wyll is this swashbuckling vigilante and he has a pose he does whenever he says his own superhero name.

Shadowheart. Dark backstory, still striving so hard for the light. Makes a joke about poisonous flowers that falls incredibly flat.

Astarion. Capable rogue and a dangerous vampire. He practises his one-liners ahead of time. Within earshot of the people he wants to use them on.

Often I wish I could do drawing or animation as fanart. All I can do is write and make silly little guys out of felt. Behold, the silly little guys!

The Graceful Cloth makes it incredibly tempting to gently poke the wearer in the ribs.

He abuses his roguish abilities to sneak up on her for no good reason

I'm pretty sure that if I heard Alkaline sung in a cave it would heal me

Etriel Analelle Ancunin and the young Astarion Ancunin

my ko-fi

Can't wait to see if Toby Fox accounted for the fact that I downloaded Spamton but never put him into the neo body so I'm just carrying him around on a flash drive in my pocket.

I need more of Astarion being an absolute undead fucking weirdo. No more suave charming elf man NO this man forgets to breathe for prolonged periods of time and randomly gasps or croaks because he can't speak without air in his lungs. He lurks in dark corners with weird reflective eyes and doesn't move until you notice him. He's SUPER into the scent of his lover and buries his face in their neck or chest while taking in a BIG snorf. He gets very affectionate when he notices his partner is on their period or is bleeding from other causes. He doesn't make noise when approaching someone and often scares the shit out of them because he just silently shows up behind them. He's addicted to the warmth of his partner and rubs his body against them like a cat. He makes animalistic grunts and moans while he feeds. He forgets to blink and just stares at people with wide eyes while they talk. He stares at his lovers pulse point instead of looking in their eyes. He growls when displeased. Sometimes he smiles just a tad too wide. He watches his lover sleep and waits for them to wake up for them to find him just staring them down, unblinking. He's a fucking freak and I love him to bits I need more weirdo Astarion.